04.29.09

OK, that’s not exactly what Big Sexy wrote. But in today’s Kansas City Star, while pledging “this column is in no way an attempt to divert attention away from Zack Greinke™s bid for history”, Jason Whitlock insists those free-spending K.C. Royals oughta sign Barry Bonds.

“While virtually every other steroid cheater continues to play the game without incident or much backlash, America™s home-run king is being treated like a heavyweight champion with the audacity to conscientiously object to the Vietnam War.” Or, if you prefer, a really old guy whose pathological behavior may or may not be mitigated by his appeal as a designated hitter.

Barry is serving the second year of what his critics hope is a lifetime banishment from the game that milked his home-run power when it made good business sense and discarded him when it needed a poster child for steroid abuse.

I wish the Royals had the courage to reinstate Bonds. He could help their anemic offense and potentially lift the Royals into the playoffs. Tuesday afternoon I milled around the Royals clubhouse asking players what they thought of Bonds and whether they™d have a problem playing with the all-time great.

Surprisingly, I couldn™t find a Bonds critic inside the clubhouse.

œI™d feel honored to play with him, Royals catcher John Buck said. œYou can™t take away what he™s done in the game.

Billy Butler added: œI wouldn™t have a problem at all. I™d work with him. If he™d help our team win, I think it would be good for our team. Whatever is good for Kansas City.

It would be worth it. Greinke is bidding for a nice piece of history tonight and the new K will be half full. That would not be the case with Bonds in uniform.

I asked Dayton Moore if Bonds™ baggage would prevent the Royals from signing the slugger.

œNo, he said. œNot for me.

Can Bonds still be a productive player?

œI don™t know, Moore said. œI can™t answer that.

Neither can Whitlock for that matter. But nice work, Jason, for failing to ID any member of the superstar-packed Royals roster willing to pull a Turk Wendell and trash the greatest offensive player of the modern era.

3 Responses to “Whitlock : The Sultan Of Surly Is The New Ali”

Does Whitlock really think he can get BB a job or is just angling for the Sultan’s authorized bio tell-all book that’ll come one day? Can’t say I blame him, altho I’m genuinely more sympathetic to Bonds than most. BB was never my most hated baseball.